Above:The artist's view of the new FOSS stairs, landings and canopy.Below: The current FOSS ramp and landings More photos

Shoreline Community College campus is acclaimed as the most beautiful in the state system with wonderful landscaping, walkways and architecture.

For better or worse, along with those iconic campus images is the ramp to FOSS’ third floor. Starting June 18, 2012, that’s going to change; the ramp is coming down.

“The ramp was built in 1972 and it just doesn’t meet current (American Disabilities Act) slope or seismic standards,” said Director of Facilities/Capital Projects Bob Roehl. A recent facilities assessment also noted the ramp has less than 10 years of useful life remaining, he added.

The ramp, along with both the second- and third-floor landings, will be torn down this summer. In their place will be new stairs, new landings a new canopy above the third-level landing, but no ramp. The major impact is main entrances to the second and third levels won't be possible during construction. Temporary signage will be posted across campus and in key locations.

The project is scheduled to be finished by Sept. 7, well-before the start of fall quarter. However, that means a summer’s worth of temporary access to FOSS and the likelihood of temporarily relocated services. Roehl said access will be via the relatively new outside staircase on the north side of the building along with original the eastside stairs.

That will be fine for most, but doesn’t address access for the disabled. Roehl said the newly upgraded elevator will be in the center of the construction zone, not to mention that until the new landings are built, it wouldn’t connect to anything.

One likely solution could be that some student services could be relocated to the PUB, much the way they were during recent FOSS renovations.If not a complete move, than at least a student services area to interact with students and then a connection back to FOSS. Roehl said meetings are ongoing on how best to serve students during the demolition and construction period.

Once the project is finished, disabled access to the second and third floors will be by elevator.

The ramp isn’t the only things that will be missing, Roehl said. “This should also take care of those water leaks on the landings that drip down from above,” he said.